Monday in the Fourth Week of Lent

Isaiah’s message:

God will create new earth with delighted people in a city of joy: A city with no weeping; no infants will die early, all will live full lifetimes; all will have homes; vineyards will provide them fruit; all will enjoy the work of their hands; none will labor in vain; children will not be struck by calamity; the wolf and lamb, the lion and ox will live in peace. Only the serpent shall eat dust.

My reflection on this:

God is not out there, above, preparing to make everything perfect. There is no snake that is the source of evil.

God is in all we can know and in all the mystery beyond our capacity to know.

God is in everyman. No human being was born to be the snake in the dust.

Find the center in quiet and stillness where you are not experiencing the world as good and evil. Where you do not judge, where you are not dominated by fear of or fear for. In this stillness let go of good and evil, judgment and fear. Find God in yourself and have compassion for the snake when it appears.

In this center you will find wonder and mystery.

You will find compassion for the suffering of all human beings.

You will find tolerance for what you do not understand and cannot explain or condone in the world of man and nature.

What you fear will melt away instead of dominating you.

You can find your soul is truly ready to pray for yourself and the sins of the world.

These short essays represent the collected labor of a group of like-minded individuals who are seeking to understand the world around them, and their place in it, within the context of the gospels. Each reflection strives to unravel the mystery which lies at the center of the gospels’ beating heart — the command “to love thy neighbor as thyself.”

To love thy neighbor as thyself. What does it mean to love one’s neighbor? And perhaps even more mysteriously, what does it mean to love one’s self? How does one love? And what is love anyway?

Much is being said about the dark times we live in, but to the well-organized mind these times might be seen as an opportunity to test one’s self; to put one’s faith into action; to discover who we really are as a people, as a nation and as individuals. Who am I? Who are we ? It is only when there is a crisis, when we are challenged, that we can hope to find out. Not all will be victory, but each right action, each kind act has the power to elevate us to higher ground, to transform our lives and bring us closer to the true meaning of our lives and our true purpose in the world.

With these thoughts in mind I commend these writings to you. May it speed you on your way and bring you closer to your own true purpose — and your own beating heart.

In one sense, Good Friday is probably considered the darkest day of the Christian year. After all, we commemorate the crucifixion, and the Church traditionally observes the day with a solemn three-hour service, and with fasting. However, it is also part of the “Triduum” or three great days extending from Maundy Thursday to Easter Eve… [ More → ]

Feet are strong — each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Feet are also sensitive — from a harmless tickle to a fractured toe or heel spur. All this said, feet tend to get a bad rap. Because of this stigma we tend to hide our feet and are protective of them, which brings me to the reading from John. [ More → ]

Of course, you get what you need exactly when you need it! And I need Psalm 70!

After six and half decades on Planet Earth, I am approaching 70. And for the first time in my life, I am experiencing Evil — bad people & bad situations. I quote Psalm 23 a lot. I feel I walk through a valley of the shadow of death. [ More → ]

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A hard-copy version of the Lenten Devotional book with Ascension parishioners' reflections on the readings for the season is available by request using this form or by calling the church office at 212-254-8620. (A suggested donation of $7 covers the cost of printing and postage.)

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